Contents [hide]

Gerry History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Gerry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Gerry family

The surname Gerry was first found in Norfolk where one of the first records of the name was Guericus, Gueri who was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1

Almost one hundred years later Werri de Marinis was listed in Yorkshire in 1166 and a few years after that Werreis de Pilledona was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset in 1179. 2

Henry Werreys was Mayor of Sandwich in 1270. 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Thomas Gery and Gerri de Planastre in Oxfordshire, and the following in Cambridgeshire: Warrin Gery; Werry de Cadamo; Herry Werri; and Peter Werri. 4

Early History of the Gerry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gerry research. Another 230 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1347, 1360, 1377, 1380, 1455, 1487, 1616, 1630, 1649, 1660, 1688, 1713, 1730, 1753, 1839 and 1886 are included under the topic Early Gerry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerry Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gery, Warre, Werre, Gerry, Werry, Warry, Warriss and many more.

Early Notables of the Gerry family

Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gerry Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gerry Ranking

In the United States, the name Gerry is the 9,333^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Gerry migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gerry Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jon Gerry, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 6
Arthur Gerry, who arrived in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1638 6
Edward Gerry, who landed in Maryland in 1675 6
Lawrence Gerry, who arrived in Maryland in 1675 6
Lawrence, Gerry Jr., who landed in Maryland in 1675 6

Gerry Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Gerry, who landed in America in 1802 6
Patrick Gerry, who arrived in America in 1807 6
William Gerry, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 6
Nancy Gerry, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1812 6
Fr W Gerry, who arrived in America in 1844 6

Gerry migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Gerry Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Edward Gerry, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "General Hewett"
James Gerry, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "General Hewett"
Rose Gerry, aged 17, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "Lady Ann"

Gerry migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gerry Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Ann R. Gerry, (b. 1857), aged 21, Cornish settler departing on 18th November 1878 aboard the ship "Boyne" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 26th February 1879 7
Mr. Nicholas Gerry, (b. 1856), aged 22, Cornish farm labourer departing on 18th November 1878 aboard the ship "Boyne" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 26th February 1879 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Gerry (post 1700) +

Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814), American Founding Father, 5th Vice President of the United States (1813-1814), 9th Governor of Massachusetts (1810-1812), eponym of the term "gerrymander" from a cartoon in the The Boston Gazette in 1812 8
Joseph John Gerry O.S.B. (1928-2023), American Benedictine monk and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
Martha B. Farish Gerry (1918-2007), American Thoroughbred racehorse owner
Robert L. Gerry 111 (b. 1937), American businessman and petroleum industry executive
Robert L. Gerry Jr. (1911-1979), American polo player
Robert L. Gerry Sr. (1877-1957), American thoroughbred horse owner & breeder
Peter Goelet Gerry (1879-1957), American lawyer and politician
E. Peabody Gerry, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, 1903 8
David M. Gerry, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Lycoming County Democratic Party, 1937 8
Curtis Gerry, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maine, 1956 8
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Gerry family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. Frederick Gerry, British Stoker 2ne Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 9

The Gerry Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Je trouve bien
Motto Translation: I find good.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html